Ana Santos, the woman behind the best-selling journal for single mothers, Happy Even After, was in Baguio and spoke about the journal and shared experiences with solo moms yesterday at the Mt Cloud Bookshop.

Aside from the usual blank pages in which to write one’s own fairy tale, the journal contained testimonies by well-known single mothers like television host Angel Jacob, journalist Miriam Grace Go, widow and political leader Risa Hontiveros, among other personalities. It also includes expert advice, words of encouragement, and useful information about the Solo Parents’ Welfare Act of 2000.

“When I became a single parent, I found myself wanting to speak to someone who would understand what I was going through. Raised in a traditional Filipino family, my being a single mother was a hushed topic in family reunions and social gatherings with old friends,” Santos wrote.

“Over the years and in my work as a journalist, I met other women who have been raising children on their own and found a kind of sisterhood in them. Some were friends, acquaintances, or re-latives. Others were government officials, incredibly successful career women, celebrities, and super models. The title never really mattered. We were all just women trying to find our place in the world and mothers who wanted nothing but the best for our children.”

The event was free and open to everyone.

Mt Cloud Bookshop is located in the Casa Vallejo Building, Upper Session Road. It is open from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.